Method and apparatus with venting or extraction of transport fluid from blast stream

Abstract

A method and apparatus entrain particles in a flow of blast fluid from a flow of transport fluid with particles entrained therein, in which an effectual amount of the transport fluid is vented or extracted prior to the entrainment of the particles in the flow of blast fluid.

1 . A flow mixer comprising:
 a. a first flow passageway;   b. a second flow passageway which intersects with the first flow passageway at an intersection;   c. a combined flow passageway in fluid communication with the first flow passageway and the second flow passageway at the intersection; and   d. one or more second passageway vents in direct fluid communication with the second flow passageway.   
     
     
         2 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more second passageway vents are disposed adjacent to the intersection. 
     
     
         3 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more second passageway vents extend in an upstream direction. 
     
     
         4 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more second passageway vents extend from the intersection in an upstream direction. 
     
     
         5 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more combined flow passageway vents in direct fluid communication with the combined flow passageway. 
     
     
         6 . The flow mixer of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more combined flow passageway vents are disposed adjacent to the intersection. 
     
     
         7 . The flow mixer of  claim 5 , wherein the combined flow passageway vents extend in a downstream direction. 
     
     
         8 . The flow mixer of  claim 5 , wherein the combined flow passageway vents extend from the intersection in a downstream direction. 
     
     
         9 . The flow mixer of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more second passageway vents are in direct fluid communication with the one or more combined flow passageway vents. 
     
     
         10 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more second passageway vents are in fluid communication with a vent passageway. 
     
     
         11 . The flow mixer of  claim 10 , further comprising one or more combined flow passageway vents in direct fluid communication with the combined flow passageway, wherein the combined flow passageway vents are in fluid communication with the vent passageway. 
     
     
         12 . The flow mixer of  claim 10 , wherein the vent passageway comprises a vent exit and the vent exit is defined by an external surface of the flow mixer. 
     
     
         13 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the first passageway comprises a first passageway entrance and a first passageway cross-sectional area, wherein the first passageway cross-sectional area decreases as the first passageway extends from the first passageway entrance toward a first passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         14 . The flow mixer of  claim 13 , wherein the first passageway transition stopping point is the intersection. 
     
     
         15 . The flow mixer of  claim 13 , wherein the first passageway cross-sectional area decreases continuously as the as the first passageway extends from the first passageway entrance toward the first passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         16 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the second passageway comprises a second passageway entrance and a second passageway cross-sectional area, wherein the second passageway cross-sectional area decreases as the second passageway extends from the second passageway entrance toward a second passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         17 . The flow mixer of  claim 16 , wherein the second passageway transition stopping point is the intersection. 
     
     
         18 . The flow mixer of  claim 16 , wherein the second passageway cross-sectional area decreases continuously as the second passageway extends from the second passageway entrance toward the second passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         19 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the first passageway comprises a first passageway entrance and a first passageway vertical dimension, wherein the first passageway vertical dimension decreases as the first passageway extends from the first passageway entrance toward a first passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         20 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the second passageway comprises a second passageway entrance and a second passageway vertical dimension, wherein the second passageway vertical dimension decreases as the second passageway extends from the second passageway entrance toward a second passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         21 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the second passageway comprises a second passageway entrance and a second passageway lateral dimension, wherein the second passageway lateral dimension increases as the second passageway extends from the second passageway entrance toward a second passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         22 . The flow mixer of  claim 1 , wherein the combined flow passageway comprises a combined flow passageway exit and a combined flow passageway cross-sectional area, wherein the combined flow passageway cross-sectional area increases as the combined flow passageway extends from the intersection toward the combined flow passageway exit. 
     
     
         23 . The flow mixer of  claim 22 , wherein the combined flow passageway cross-sectional area increases continuously as the combined flow passageway extends from the intersection toward the combined flow passageway exit. 
     
     
         24 . An assembly comprising
 a. the flow mixer of  claim 1 ; and   b. a blast nozzle, wherein the blast nozzle is in fluid communication with the combined flow passageway.   
     
     
         25 . The assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the blast nozzle is integral with the flow mixer. 
     
     
         26 . A flow mixer comprising:
 a. an upper insert comprising an upper insert channel;   b. a central insert comprising a first central insert channel and a second central insert channel, wherein the first central insert channel and the upper insert channel define a first fluid passageway;   c. a lower insert comprising a lower insert channel, wherein the second central insert channel and the lower insert channel define a second flow passageway which intersects with the first flow passageway at an intersection; and   d. one or more second passageway vents formed in the lower insert in direct fluid communication with the second flow passageway.   
     
     
         27 . The flow mixer of  claim 26 , further comprising a combined flow passageway in fluid communication with the first flow passageway and the second flow passageway at the intersection. 
     
     
         28 . The flow mixer of  claim 27 , further comprising one or more combined flow passageway vents in direct fluid communication with the combined flow passageway. 
     
     
         29 . The flow mixer of  claim 26 , further comprising a central nozzle insert and lower nozzle insert, wherein the central nozzle insert comprises a central nozzle insert channel and the lower nozzle insert comprises a lower nozzle insert channel, wherein a combined flow passageway is defined by the central nozzle insert channel and the lower nozzle insert channel. 
     
     
         30 . The flow mixer of  claim 29 , wherein the combined flow passageway comprises a throat, wherein the combined flow passageway comprises a converging portion upstream of the throat and a diverging portion downstream of the throat. 
     
     
         31 . The flow mixer of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more second passageway vents are in fluid communication with a vent passageway. 
     
     
         32 . The flow mixer of  claim 31 , wherein the vent passageway comprises a vent exit and the vent exit is defined by an external surface of the flow mixer. 
     
     
         33 . A method of expelling a stream of entrained particles from a blast nozzle, comprising:
 a. providing a flow of blast fluid;   b. providing a flow of entrained particles, wherein the flow of entrained particles comprises a transport fluid and a plurality of particles entrained within the transport fluid;   c. separating at least a portion of the transport fluid in the flow of entrained particles from the plurality of particles in the flow of entrained particles, thereby creating a vented flow comprising the transport fluid that is separated from the plurality of particles;   d. creating a combined flow by combining the flow of blast fluid with the plurality of particles in the flow of entrained particles;   e. flowing the combined flow through and out of a blast nozzle; wherein the vented flow remains separated from the combined flow exiting the blast nozzle.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the plurality of particles comprises cryogenic particles. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the blast fluid comprises heated fluid. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the step of separating at least a portion of the transport fluid in the flow of entrained particles occurs before the step of creating a combined flow. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the step of separating at least a portion of the transport fluid in the flow of entrained particles occurs after the step of creating a combined flow. 
     
     
         38 . A flow mixer comprising:
 a. a first flow passageway;   b. a second flow passageway which intersects with the first flow passageway at an intersection, wherein the second passageway comprises a second passageway entrance, a second passageway vertical dimension, and a second passageway lateral dimension, wherein the second passageway vertical dimension decreases as the second passageway extends from the second passageway entrance toward a second passageway transition stopping point and the second passageway lateral dimension increases as the second passageway extends from the second passageway entrance toward the second passageway transition stopping point; and   c. a combined flow passageway in fluid communication with the first flow passageway and the second flow passageway at the intersection.   
     
     
         39 . The flow mixer of  claim 38 , wherein the vertical dimension of the second passageway decreases continuously as the as the second passageway extends from the second passageway entrance toward the second passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         40 . The flow mixer of  claim 38 , wherein the lateral dimension of the second passageway decreases continuously as the second passageway extends from the second passageway entrance toward the first passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         41 . The flow mixer of  claim 38 , wherein the second passageway transition stopping point is the intersection. 
     
     
         42 . The flow mixer of  claim 38 , further comprising one or more second passageway vents in direct fluid communication with the second flow passageway. 
     
     
         43 . The flow mixer of  claim 38 , wherein the first passageway comprises a first passageway entrance and a first passageway vertical dimension, wherein the first passageway vertical dimension decreases as the first passageway extends from the first passageway entrance toward a first passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         44 . The flow mixer of  claim 43 , wherein the vertical dimension of the first passageway decreases continuously as the first passageway extends from the first passageway entrance toward the first passageway transition stopping point. 
     
     
         45 . The flow mixer of  claim 43 , wherein the first passageway transition stopping point is the intersection. 
     
     
         46 . The flow mixer of  claim 38 , wherein the second flow passageway is configured to be connected to a flow of entrained particles, wherein the flow of entrained particles comprises a transport fluid and a plurality of particles entrained within the transport fluid. 
     
     
         47 . The flow mixer of  claim 46 , wherein the first flow passageway is configured to be connected to a flow of blast fluid. 
     
     
         48 . The flow mixer of  claim 47 , wherein the best blast fluid comprises heated fluid.